Bolt action rifle cocking piece and cover therefor

ABSTRACT

A rifle bolt action having a cocking piece secured to a firing pin assembly carried within the bolt. A cam on the cocking piece rides on a cam surface of the bolt, so that the cocking piece cocks the firing pin when the bolt is rotated. The cocking piece is housed within a cover to prevent rotation of the cocking piece when the bolt is rotated. Cooperating surfaces of the cocking piece, the cover and receiver of the rifle bolt action prevent torque or stress from being exerted on the firing pin assembly when it is cocked.

U te States att 1 [111 3,755,947 K0011, Jr. Sept. 4, 1973 [54] BOLTACTION RIFLE COCKING PIECE 3,330,06l 7/l967 Koon, Jr. 42/16 AND COVERTHEREFOR 3,494,2l6 2/1970 Haskins 42/16 [75] Inventor: Homer E. Koon,Jr., Gainesville, Primary Exammer Benjamin Borche Assistant Examiner-C.T. Jordan [73] Assignee: Firearm Development, Inc., Denton,Attorney-Thomas HarWOOd Tex. 22 Filed: Apr. 7, 1971 [57] Y ABSTRACT Arifle bolt action having a cocking piece secured to a [21] Appl' 132,111firing pin assembly carried within the bolt. A cam on the cocking piecerides on a cam surface of the bolt, so 52 U.S. Cl. 42/16, 42/69 A thatthe eeekihg Piece eeeks the firing P when the 51 int. Cl F4lc 11/00,F4lc 19/00 belt is rotated- The eeekihg Pieee is housed within a 58Field of Search 42/69 A, 16 eever to Prevent rotation of the eeekihspiece when the bolt is rotated. Cooperating surfaces of the cocking 5References Ci piece, the cover and receiver of the rifle bolt actionUNITED STATES PATENTS prevent torque or stress from being exerted on thefiring pin assembly when it is cocked. 3,013,355 12/1961 Weatherby 42/163,274,724 9/1966 Brandt 42/16 6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 5 56 52 54 242s 30 54 3a 22 48 5a PATENTEnsEP 4 mm SNEEI 1 Q? 3 INVENTOR R E.KOON,JR.

ATTORNEY a. U MA HOME vw mm #6 mm wv mm mm fin mm mv vm ON MN on 8 ov F3Nm mm m BOLT ACTION RIFLE COCKING PIECE AND COVER THEREFOR Thisinvention relates to firearms and more particularly to a cocking pieceand cocking piece cover arrangement for a bolt action rifle.

Many factors must be considered in the design of rifle bolt actions toachieve a high degree of accuracy. One such factor of importance is theoperation and construction of the firing pin assembly and means forcooking same. For example, it is important to reduce the firing pintravel as much as possible to achieve quicker ignition of the cartridge,and to minimize vibration and movement of the rifle from the time thetrigger is pulled until the time the firing pin strikes the cartridge.Thus if the firing pin has a very long length of travel, wobble andvibration can cause reduction in the accuracy by the operator.

To achieve a short travel and still have sufficient force to ignite thecartridge, a large main spring is required for propelling the firingpin. However, it must be realized that the firing pin must be cockedagainst the compression of the large spring, thus requiring a greaterforce. Any additional stresses or torques exerted on the firing pinassembly when it is cocked causes binding of the firing pin and makes itharder to cock. In addition, lateral stresses or torques exerted on thefiring pin cause greater wear and ultimate reduction in accuracy. Stillfurther, torques and stresses cause the firing pin to wobble whenreleased.

The present invention provides a cocking piece and cocking piece coverarrangement for being coupled to a firing pin assembly in a bolt actionrifle, which permits the use ofa large main spring for propelling thefiring pin but which reduces to a minimum lateral stresses and torqueexerted on the firing pin assembly when the firing assembly is cocked.The cocking piece is securely attached to the rear of the firing pin,with the firing pin being carried within the bolt. The cocking piece hasa cam that rides on a cam surface in the rear of the bolt, so that thecocking piece and firing pin are forced rearward to cock the firing pinwhen the bolt is rotated. To achieve this, the cocking piece isconstrained against rotation by the cocking piece cover within which itis housed. More particularly, the cocking piece cover rides on arearward extension of the receiver so that it is prevented from rotatingwith the bolt. The cocking piece itself is contained between the coverand the receiver extension and bears against a combination of surfacesof the two so that it cannot be rotated. This combination of surfacesalso prevents lateral stress and torque from being exerted on the firingpin when the cocking piece is force rearward by the cam surface.

Many other objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomereadily apparent from the following detailed description thereof whentaken in conjunction with the appended claims and the attached drawingwherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral figures, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, in section, of a rifle bolt actionemploying the cocking piece and cocking piece cover of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, bottom view of the rear portion of the bolt andthe cocking piece, showing the relationship between the cam and the camsurface of the cocking piece and bolt, respectively, with the bolt inthe forward but unlocked position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, bottom view of the bolt and cocking piece andbolt in the forward but locked position, and the firing pin released toits forward, or striking position;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the rear of the bolt illustrating theangle of rotation of the bolt between the locked and unlocked positions;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view, in section, of the locking system ofthe bolt action taken through section lines 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing thebolt in the forward but unlocked position;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view, in section, of the locking system,showing the bolt in the forward but locked position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cocking piece;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cocking piece cover with the cockingpiece housed therein;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the cocking piece cover;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view, in section, of the cocking piece andcocking piece cover; and

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view, in section, of the cocking piece andcocking piece cover, taken through section lines 11-11 of FIG. 10. r

A composite view of the rifle bolt mechanism that employs the cockingpiece and cocking piece cover of the invention is shown in the sideelevational view, partly in section, of FIG. 1. The system includes areceiver having a cylindrical bore or channel 22 extendinglongitudinally therein, and a cylindrical front portion 24 that isinternally threaded along a length of the inner wall 26 for receivingand being secured to the threaded rear portion 28 of a barrel 30. Thereceiver includes a port 23 opening intermediate its ends in the top andalong one side thereof through which cartridges may be loaded andunloaded. The barrel has a longitudinal bore 32 into which cartridgesare chambered for firing.

A bolt 34 is carried within the cylindrical channel of the receiver forrotational and longitudinal movement therein. The bolt is rotated abouta longitudinal axis as will be seen hereinafter for locking andunlocking the bolt within the receiver. The bolt is provided withlongitudinal and centrally disposed cylindrical bore 36 of a firstdiameter and extending the major length thereof, another smallerdiameter, cylindrical bore 38 located forward of the opening into thelarger diameter bore 36, and a yet smaller diameter, cylindrical bore 40located forward of and opening into bore 38. The smallest diameter bore40 opens into a recessed front face 42 of the bolt, wherein the butt ofthe cartridge is seated within this recessed face when the cartridge ischambered for firing. A firing pin assembly 44 is carried inside of thebolt and includes a cylindrical main body portion 45 having a forwardportion 46 that rides within bore 38. An enlarged cylindrical shoulder48 is disposed intermediate portions 45 and 46 against which a spring 50abuts for urging the firing pin forward. The firing pin mechanism alsoincludes an integral firing pin 52 at the .frontend thereof that rideswithin bore 40 and projects forward of recessed face 42 when themechanism is released to move to its forward-most position.

The receiver includes a plurality of inwardly extend ing locking lugs 54located adjacent the front end thereof, and similarly, the bolt includesa plurality of corresponding locking lugs 56 located adjacent the frontend thereof for engaging the receiver locking lugs. The bolt includes arelatively short, reduced diameter section 58 immediately behind lockinglugs 56, so that the maximum diameter across the front of the boltlocking lugs is equal to the major diameter of the bolt proper. Thus thebolt and locking lug system may be withdrawn longitudinally within thecylindrical bore of the reciever.

The main body portion 45 of the firing pin mechanism extends the lengthof the bore 36 of the bolt to approximately the rear face thereof, andincludes a threaded extension 45' extending rearward thereof. A cockingpiece 70 is threadedly secured to the rearward extension 45 and servesto cock the firing pin mechanism for firing when the bolt is rotated,all as will be explained. The cocking piece is contained within acocking piece cover 72, wherein the cocking piece cover is looselythreaded into the rear of the bolt. More particularly, a portion 76 ofthe inner wall of the bolt is threaded, and the cocking piece coverincludes a forwardly extending threaded portion 78 that is looselythreaded into the rear of the bolt, so that the bolt may be rotatedabout a longitudinal axis relative to the cocking piece cover. Thecocking piece cover rides on the receiver surface beneath it, whichprevents the cover from rotating when the bolt is rotated. The cockingpiece itself bears on inner surfaces of the cocking piece cover and onsurfaces of the receiver to prevent it from rotation when the bolt isrotated, all as will be described in detail below.

A bolt handle 80 is secured to the bolt 34 at the rear portion thereof,and extends laterally from the side of the receiver immediately behindthe rear edge 88 thereof. The rear edge of the receiver includes abeveled portion 89 adjacent the top thereof. The bolt may be rotatedalong a longitudinal axis by lifting the bolt handle 80, wherein theedge portion 89 engages the body 81 of the bolt handle during the lastfew degrees of rotation. When the bolt handle is raised to rotate thebolt, the bolt is unlocked by rotating the bolt locking lugs 56 tocoincide with spaces between the receiver locking lugs 54, so that thebolt may then be retracted rearwardly in the receiver. On the last fewdegrees of rotation to unlock the bolt, the bolt handle body 81 engagesedge 89 of the receiver to cause the bolt to be withdrawn a slightamount to break loose the cartridge within the chamber. As will be seenhereinafter, the construction of the locking lugs is such as to permitthe slight rearward movement of the bolt over the last few degrees ofrotation for unlocking it.

FIGS. 2-4 illustrate how the firing pin mechanism is cocked for firingwhen the bolt is rotated from the locked to the unlocked position. BothFIGS. 2 and 3 are fragmentary bottom views of the bolt and cockingpiece, with FIG. 2 showing the cocking piece and firing pin mechanism inthe cocked position with the bolt in the locked position, and FIG. 3showing the firing pin and cocking piece in the fired position and thebolt in the locked position. As shown in FIG. 1 with the firingmechanism in the cocked position for firing, the cocking piece includesa portion 61 that has a from shoulder for being engaged by a sear 62connected to the trigger mechanism. The sear hold the cocking piece andfiring pin mechanism in a retracted, cocked position until the trigger63 is pulled. The cocking piece also includes a cam 82 that rides alonga corresponding cam surface 84 formed in the rear wall of the bolt 34.The cam surface is provided by cutting an arcuate section out of therear wall of the bolt, and the cam includes a rounded front face 83 forriding along this surface. As shown in FIG. 3, the cam is positioned atthe bottom of the cam surface when the firing pin mechanism is in itsmost forward, fired position. As the bolt is rotated by lifting the bolthandle upward, the cocking piece 70 and firing pin mechanism attachedthereto are forced rearward relative to the bolt by action of the camriding along the cam surface. Rotation of the cocking piece during thismotion is prevented by the cocking piece cover, which has surfaces alongwhich the cocking piece must ride to prevent any rotation.

The bolt is rotated until the cam 82 of the cocking piece completelyclears the cam surface 84 provided in the rear of the bolt, as shown inFIG. 2. In this embodiment, the bolt is rotated an additional 5,approximately, from where the center of the cam coincides with thebeginning of the cam surface, as is sche matically shown in FIG. 4,wherein it requires a rotation of approximately 45 between the positionsof the cam as shown in FIG. 3 (fired position) and the position of thecam just as it clears the cam surface. The cam 82 is then resting in aslight indentation 85 in the rear wall of the bolt. The additional 5 ofrotation is desirable so that the cam will be resting on a flat (orindentation 85) so that it will not slide back along the cam surface,when the bolt is longitudinally withdrawn rearward in the receiver toeject a spent cartridge.

As will be understood, the sear 62 is caused to extend upward in frontof the shoulder 61 of the cocking piece when the cocking piece attainsthe position relative to the bolt as shown in FIG. 2. However, the searcannot maintain the cocking piece and firing pin rearward when the boltis withdrawn, and thus the necessity of the additional 5 of rotation tocock the firing pin. Then when the bolt is rotated in the oppositedirection by urging the bolt handle downward so that the cam 82 is againin line with the bolt as shown in FIG. 3, but retracted relativethereto, the firing pin cannot be forced forward by the spring 50 untilthe trigger 63 is pulled.

Reference is nothad to FIGS. 5 and 6, which are front elevational views,in section, showing the combination of the bolt and receiver locking lugsystem in the unlocked and locked positions, respectively. The receivercomprises four locking lugs 54 extending inwardly from the inner wall ofthe receiver with spaces provided between adjacent locking lugs. Each ofthe receiver locking lugs has an arcuate length along the inner wall ofthe receiver that subtends an angle of 77, and constitutes a segment ofa circle, in cross-section, except for the forward chamfered surfacethereof that will be discussed hereinafter. The minimum distance betweenthe opposite locking lugs 54 is just slightly greater than the diameterof the reduced diameter bolt portion 58, so that the bolt may bewithdrawn rearwardly in the receiver when it is unlocked.

There are four bolt locking lugs 56 that extend outwardly from the bodyof the bolt immediately forward of reduced diameter portion 58, each ofwhich has two perpendicular edges 57 and 57' that terminate in a third,curved edges 91. Edge 91 generally conforms to the curvature of thereceiver wall and is generally at an angle of 45 to edges 57 and 57. Thefour bolt locking lugs form a substantially square configuration, exceptfor the small curved edges 91. The spaces 90 between adjacent receiverlocking lugs are slightly greater than the width of curved edge 91 ofthe bolt locking lugs, so that the bolt locking lugs pass between thereceiver locking lugs when the bolt is unlocked to with- 'draw it withinthe receiver;

Each receiver locking lug 54 has chamfered or beveled surfaces 63 and 64cut into the forward face and inner side thereof, on either siderespectively, of the center line of the lug. This allows the bolt to bemoved forward over the first few degrees of rotation as it is rotated tothe locked position. More specifically, the rear surfaces of the boltlocking lugs can be moved in front of the front edges of the receiverlocking lugs where the latter are beveled, or chamfered, during thefirst few degrees of rotating the bolt shut when the body 81 of the bolthandle rides on beveled surface 89 of the receiver. An angle of rotationof approximately to is required to lock the bolt from the unlockedposition, so that the bolt locking lugs are disposed in front of thereceiver locking lugs as shown in FIG. 6.

A perspective view of the cocking piece is shown in FIG. 7 and comprisesa forwardly extending lower cam 82 having a curved face 83 thereon.Another forwardly extendng member is spaced above cam 82 with a threadedbore 111 extending longitudinally between members 82 and 110 andcompletely through the cocking piece. Another member 114 extends upwardfrom the main body of the cocking piece immediately rearward of member110 and forms a shoulder 112 therewith. A pair of opposite member 115and 116 extend laterally on either side of the cocking piece and havinghorizontal, plane shoulders 117 and 118 at the top thereof and beveledshoulders 119 and 120 at the bottom thereof, respectively. Horizontalshoulders 117 and 118 are spaced below the top horizontal surface ofmember 114. Another member or tongue 61 extends downwardly and along thebottom of the cocking piece from immediately behind cam 82 and rearwardof members 114, 115 and 116. Member 61 also extends below the bottom ofcam 82 and includes a slightly beveled lower front edge immediatelybelow cam 82 where it joins the main body of the cocking piece. Surface125 is engaged by the sear of the trigger mechanism to prevent firing orforward movement of the firing pin assembly until the trigger is pulled,all as will be explained hereinafter. Member 61 includes part 128extending rearward of members 114, 115, and 116, and which forms alateral slot 130 with these members. Although not pertinent to theinvention, slot 130 cooperates with a safety piece 131 (shown in FIG. 1)to lock the cocking piece in a rearward position.

Reference is now had to FIGS. 7-11 to describe the cocking piece andcocking piece cover arrangement. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of thecocking piece cover showing the cocking piece contained therein. FIG. 9is a bottom view of the cocking piece cover and cocking piece with thebolt attached, the latter being fragmentarily shown. FIG. 10 is a sideelevational view, in section, of the bolt, receiver, cocking piece andcocking piece cover with the section being taken through thelongitudinal center plane of the bolt action rifle. And, FIG. 11 is arear elevational view, partly in section, taken through section lines11--11 of FIG. 10, also showing the clocking piece in phantom.

The cocking piece cover 72 includes a main body portion having a pair ofspaced apart, flat horizontal surfaces 141 and 142 at the bottom and onopposite sides thereof (See FIGS. 9 and 11). A main cavity is providedwithin the interior of the cocking piece cover between flat sides 141and 142 and which opens through the bottom thereof. This main cavityaccommodates the main body portion of the cocking piece 70. A'slot 153extends upwardly into the body of the cocking piece cover from cavity150, so that cavity 150 defines plane surfaces or shoulders 151 and 152on opposite sides of slot 153. Slot 153 has a flat roof 154 and opposingside walls 155 and 156 perpendicular thereto (see FIG. 11). The cover isprovided with a recessed front wall 159 forming one end of cavity 150,and which has a vertical slot 160 extending through the center thereofand opening through the bottom of the cover. The recessed front wall 159is positioned rearward of the front face 143 of the cocking piece cover,so that a partially annular space 144 is provided in the front face ofthe cocking piece cover. Threaded extension 78 of the cocking piececover extends forwardly of the front face 143 for being loosely threadedinto the interior of bolt 34. The threaded extension 78 is a part of acylindrical shankportion 78 that extends from the front wall 159,wherein a vertical slot 161 is cut in the shank portion as acontinuation of slot 160 for accommodating cam 82 of the cocking piece.Bolt 34 accordingly extends into the annular recess 144 adjacent frontwall 159.

The cocking piece cover also includes an interior wall 165 having avertically extending slot 166 therein, and forms the rear of cavity 150.Another cavity 164 is provided in the cocking piece cover betweeninterior wall 165 and a rear wall 169 of the cocking piece cover.

To assemble the apparatus, the cocking piece 70 is inserted in thecocking piece cover from the bottom thereof, with this being possiblebecause of cavities 150 and 164, and slots 160, 161 and 166 opening intothe bottom of the cocking piece cover. with the cocking piece positionedwithin the cover in this manner, the threaded rearward extension 45 ofthe firing pin is inserted through the central bore 79 in the threadedextension 78 of the cocking piece cover, so that spring 50 is containedbetween shoulder 48 of the firing pin and the front surface of threadedextension 78. The firing pin is then securely screwed into the cockingpiece within threaded bore 111 therein. Because of the compression ofthe spring, the cocking piece is now in a forward position with cam 82passing through slot 160 extending into slot 161, bearing against thefront wall thereof. The bolt itself is now threaded onto the threadedextension 78. To do this, spring 50 is further compressed so that thecocking piece is held in the rearward position relative to the cockingpiece cover. The bolt is then loosely threaded over forward threadedextension 78 until the back wall thereof is adjacent the front surfaceof front wall 159, and the arcuate cam surface 84 coincides in avertical plane with cam 82. The cocking piece is then released so thatcam 82 moves forward into the cam surface of the bolt, all as is shownin FIG. 9. Since the bolt can be rotated relative to the cocking piececover, cam 82 is urged rearward as the bolt is rotated.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 10 and 11, the combination of thebolt, firing pin, cocking piece and cocking piece cover is shownassembled into the channel of the reciever, wherein the receiverincludes a rearwardly extending tang 172 that defines a curved surface173 opening in the top thereof and an elongated rectangular slot 174extending horizontally therein and opening into the curved surface 173.The

tang also includes opposite flat horizontal surface 175 and 176 on whichflat surfaces 141 and 142 of the cocking piece cover ride, respectively.The bottom arcuate edges of front and intermediate walls 159 and 165extend below flat surfaces 141 and 142 and ride on the curved surface173 of the tang, whereas bottom member 61 of the cocking piece rideswithin slot 174.

Rotation of the bolt so that the cocking piece is forced rearward as cam82 rides on surface 84 tends to cause the cocking piece to undergo allof pitch," yaw and roll, and to exert a torque on the firing pin shaft.However, the cocking piece and firing pin assembly are relieved ofsubstantially all stresses and torque as they are forced rearward whenthe bolt is rotated relative to the cocking piece cover. Specifically,the cocking piece is prevented from undergoing pitch" which would causea vertical stress or torque on the firingpin shaft, since the cockingpiece is vertically constrained between horizontal surfaces 151, 152 and154 on the one hand and horizontal surface 174 on the other hand. Thecocking piece is also prevented from undergoing yaw which would cause ahorizontal stress or torque on the firing pin shaft, since the cockingpiece is horizontally constrained between the vertical surfaces of slots153, 160, 166 and 174. Finally, the cocking piece is prevented fromundergoing roll" which would cause it and the firing pin shaft to rotatewith the bolt, since the cocking piece is constrained against rotationbetween all of the aforementioned surfaces.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a particularembodiment thereof, certain modifications and substitutions that do notdepart from the true scope thereof will undoubtedly occur to thoseskilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention belimited only as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bolt action rifle including a receiver having a bolt channeltherein, a bolt rotatably and slidably carried in said bolt channel andadapted to be locked against sliding movement in said receiver whenrotated to a locked position, firing pin mechanism carried in said bolt,a cocking piece attached to said firing pin mechanism having a cam forcooperating with a cam surface on the rear of said bolt for being forcedrearward to cock said firing pin mechanism when said bolt is rotatedrelative thereto, a cocking piece cover housing said cocking piece andpreventing said cocking piece from rotating when said bolt is rotated,said receiver having a rearward extending tang along which said cockingpiece and cocking piece cover ride, the improvement comprising:

a. said cocking piece cover comprises a main cavity opening through thebottom thereof within which said cocking piece is contained, said cavityincluding front and rear vertical walls having slots extendingvertically therein,

b. said cocking piece includes forward and rearward members extendingthrough the slots in said front and rear walls, respectively, of thesaid cocking piece cover, so that said cocking piece is constrained fromrotational movement about a first axis when said cocking piece is forcedrearward to cock said firing pin mechanism, and

c. said cocking piece cover, said cocking piece and said receiver tanghaving cooperating surfaces constraining said cocking piece formrotational movement about a second axis perpendicular to said first axiswhen said cocking piece is forced rearward to cock said firing pinmechanism.

2. In a bolt action rifle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cavity ofsaid cocking piece cover has a first channel opening in the top thereofextending longitudinally therealong and having a roof, said receivertang includes a second channel opening in the top thereof extendinglongitudinally therealong, and having a floortherein, said cocking pieceincludes an upper member extending into said first channel having anupper surface for engaging said roof, a lower member extending into saidsecond channel having a lower surface forengaging said floor, and saidcooperating surfaces comprises the combination of said roof and saidfloor, and said upper and said lower surfaces of said cocking piece.

3. In a bolt rifle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first channelhas opposing vertical walls, and said upper member of said cocking pieceincludes vertical sides that engage said opposing vertical walls,respectively.

4. In a bolt action rifle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cockingpiece cover includes a threaded member extending forwardly of said frontvertical wall for being threaded into the rear of said bolt, in whichsaid slot extending vertically in said front vertical wall continuesinto said threaded member.

5. In a bolt rifle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second channelhas opposing vertical walls, and said lower member of said cocking pieceincludes vertical sides that engage said opposing vertical walls,respectively.

6. In a bolt action rifle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said forwardmember of said cocking piece comprises a cam having a rounded frontsurface for riding on said cam surface in said bolt.

n a: 4r

1. In a bolt action rifle including a receiver having a bolt channel therein, a bolt rotatably and slidably carried in said bolt channel and adapted to be locked against sliding movement in said receiver when rotated to a locked position, firing pin mechanism carried in said bolt, a cocking piece attached to said firing pin mechanism having a cam for cooperating with a cam surface on the rear of said bolt for being forced rearward to cock said firing pin mechanism when said bolt is rotated relative thereto, a cocking piece cover housing said cocking piece and preventing said cocking piece from rotating when said bolt is rotated, said receiver having a rearward extending tang along which said cocking piece and cocking piece cover ride, the improvement comprising: a. said cocking piece cover comprises a main cavity opening through the bottom thereof within which said cocking piece is contained, said cavity including front and rear vertical walls having slots extending vertically therein, b. said cocking piece includes forward and rearward members extending through the slots in said front and rear walls, respectively, of the said cocking piece cover, so that said cocking piece is constrained from rotational movement about a first axis when said cocking piece is forced rearward to cock said firing pin mechanism, and c. said cocking piece cover, said cocking piece and said receiver tang having cooperating surfaces constraining said cocking piece form rotational movement about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis when said cocking piece is forced rearward to cock said firing pin mechanism.
 2. In a bolt action rifle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cavity of said cocking piece cover has a first channel opening in the top thereof extending longitudinally therealong and having a roof, said receiver tang includes a second channel opening in the top thereof extending longitudinally therealong, and having a floor therein, said cocking piece includes an upper member extending into said first channel having an upper surface for engaging said roof, a lower member extending into said second channel having a lower surface for engaging said floor, and said cooperating surfaces comprises the combination of said roof and said floor, and said upper and said lower surfaces of said cocking piece.
 3. In a bolt rifle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first channel has opposing vertical walls, and said upper member of said cocking piece includes vertical sides that engage said opposing vertical walls, respectively.
 4. In a bolt action rifle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cocking piece cover includes a threaded member extending forwardly of said front vertical wall for being threaded into the rear of said bolt, in which said slot extending vertically in said front vertical wall continues into said threaded member.
 5. In a bolt rifle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second channel has opposing vertical walls, and said lower member of said cocking piece includes vertical sides that engage said opposing vertical walls, respectively.
 6. In a bolt action rifle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said forward member of said cocking piece comprises a cam having a rounded front surface for riding on said cam surface in said bolt. 